William L. Huntress and his companies, Acquest Transit LLC and Acquest Development LLC, were charged in the Western District of New York for illegally filling wetlands in Amherst, N.Y., as detailed in the seven count indictment.

Robert Jenkins, 36, and Nikki Jenkins, 36, each pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno in the Southern District of Florida to one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive health care kickbacks.

The 10-count indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Arizona charges Adalberto Valenzuela, 31, of Tucson, Ariz., with two counts of conspiracy, two counts of bribery, two counts of bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, two counts of Hobbs Act extortion under color of official right and two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

The Justice Department announced today that, as part of its settlement with BAC Home Loans Servicing LP, a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation, servicemembers whose homes were unlawfully foreclosed upon will each receive a minimum $116,785 plus compensation for any equity lost to compensate them for the bank’s alleged violation of the Servicemember Civil Relief Act.

"We believe that enacting the SAVE Act will strengthen tribal jurisdiction over crimes of domestic violence, tribal protection orders, and Federal assault prosecutions," said Associate Attorney General Perrelli.

The agreement represents approximately 20 percent of the estimated $37.5 million in forfeited assets located in the Dominican Republic that stem from a conspiracy led by brothers Carlos, Luis and Jose Benitez, who allegedly defrauded the U.S. Medicare program of approximately $80 million.

In signing this important forfeited asset sharing agreement, Prosecutor General Radhaméz Jiménez Peña and I reaffirm our common values, as well as our ongoing commitment to the goals that the United States and the Dominican Republic share: protecting our citizens, strengthening our borders, improving public safety, reducing recidivism, preventing and combating gang- and drug-fueled crime and violence, and ensuring that criminals do not profit from illegal activity," said Attorney General Holder.

"It is in this spirit of friendship that I have traveled to your beautiful country. And I am grateful, on a very personal level, for this opportunity to help build upon the progress that our nations – and America’s allies throughout the Caribbean region – have made together over the years," said Attorney General Holder.

"The Albert Schweitzer Awards are given in honor of one of the world’s great humanitarians, a man who defined “good” as the preservation and enhancement of life in all its forms. The work that these recipients have done embodies the soul of Schweitzer’s philosophy," said Assistant Attorney General Robinson.

Terry Spicer, a former Alabama state legislator, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Alabama to a one-count criminal information charging him with federal program bribery for accepting cash and other things of value from a businessman and his lobbyist in return for the use of his official position and influence.

A federal grand jury sitting in Muskogee, Okla., returned an indictment today charging former Bryan County, Okla., Sheriff’s Lieutenant Kevin Bennett Holt, 48, of Achille, Okla., with federal civil rights violations and related acts of obstruction of justice.

"The Administration has responded to Congress’ call for input on the cybersecurity legislation that our Nation needs, and we look forward to engaging with Congress and, specifically, this Committee as you move forward on this important issue," said Deputy Section Chief Richard Downing.

Former Tuscaloosa, Ala., Sheriff’s Sergeant, Althea Mallisham, 52, pleaded guilty today in a federal court in Birmingham, Ala., to three counts of assault with a dangerous weapon while acting under color of law for wrongfully using a Taser during three separate incidents over a four month period in 2008.

A former Pittsfield man was sentenced late yesterday in federal court for his role in a series of frauds and attempts to avoid paying taxes, as well as lying to federal authorities and financial institutions about his illegal activities.

Ramchand Ramrup, aka Ramy Ramrup, 35, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Marcia G. Cooke in Miami to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

A federal grand jury in San Jose, Calif., Wednesday indicted Ashvin Desai of San Jose on three counts of tax evasion, two counts of willfully aiding the preparation of materially false tax returns and three counts of failing to file Reports of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts.

Sea Star Line LLC has agreed today to plead guilty and to pay a $14.2 million criminal fine for its role in a conspiracy to fix prices in the coastal water freight transportation industry. Additionally, a federal grand jury in San Juan, Puerto Rico, returned an indictment against Frank Peake, the former president of Sea Star Line, for his role in the same conspiracy.

David Lewalski, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James D. Whittemore. The court also ordered Lewalski to forfeit $29.8 million and numerous computers and computer equipment that are traceable to proceeds of the offense.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owners and managers of 23 rental homes in Magee, Miss., for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children.

Marion Beverly Metoyer, 57, of Dayton, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gray Miller in the Southern District of Texas. Metoyer was convicted by a jury on May 26, 2011, of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, three counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to receive health care kickbacks and two counts of receiving kickbacks.

"When the Attorney General announced that he had selected me to serve as Acting Assistant Attorney General, he stated it would be a seamless transition. That is what I am working to deliver—vigorous enforcement of the antitrust laws, as well as transparency and certainty for consumers and business," said acting Assistant Attorney General Pozen.

Mine S. Pase, 62, of Pago Pago, American Samoa, pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Walton.

Chiquita Q. Broadnax, a resident of Montgomery County, Ala., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison by Judge Mark Fuller of the Middle District of Alabama for her involvement in a fraudulent tax return perpetration scheme.

Onuoha “Iggy” Nwokoro was sentenced today in federal district court in Washington, D.C., for willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false income tax return for 2004.

The Justice Department announced today that Scottie T. Glenn, 28, a former corrections officer of the Alabama Department of Corrections, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Montgomery, Ala., to one count of violating the civil rights of a former inmate and to one count of conspiring with other corrections officers to cover up the incident.

The 15-count third superseding indictment returned by the federal grand jury on Nov. 16, 2011, and unsealed today in Hammond includes 15 new defendants who are charged with conspiracy to engage in racketeering activity from August 1989 until the date of the third superseding indictment.

"Many of you here today are indeed being recognized precisely because of your courage in helping to make our communities safer," Assistant Attorney General Breuer said.

"For the last six decades, Jack Keeney served the Department of Justice with dedication, integrity and an unshakeable commitment to the rule of law," stated the Attorney General.

The United States filed a complaint against BestCare Laboratories, Inc. and its founder and principal, Karim A. Maghareh, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

The Justice Department today announced an agreement with Upshur County, Texas, to improve access to all aspects of civic life for people with disabilities.

The Justice Department filed a lawsuit yesterday against a California municipality and a homeowners’ association for discriminating against families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

The United States has filed suit against Sonkei Communications Inc., and its principal corporate officers, Peter Turpel and Joseph Turpel.

Seven Ohio men were arrested today on charges that they committed and conspired to commit religiously-motivated physical assaults in violation of the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK), the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska and employees of UNK for violating the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against students with disabilities.

"As our country continues to recover from once-in-a-generation economic challenges, the need to safeguard intellectual property rights – and to protect Americans from intellectual property crimes – has never been more urgent,” said Attorney General Holder.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Sharis Pozen of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz today met with a delegation from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) to discuss antitrust merger enforcement.

A former Massachusetts scientist and businessman was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Rya W. Zobel in Boston to one year and one day in federal prison for executing a fraud scheme involving a multi-million dollar federal research grant.

"Today, as the 13 members of this Task Force gather for the first time, we are launching a new chapter in the work of protecting our young people from violence and harm – and ensuring that, in this country, every child has a safe place to live, to learn, and to grow," said Attorney General Holder.

A federal grand jury in San Francisco returned a superseding indictment yesterday against a Taiwan aftermarket auto lights manufacturer, its U.S.-based subsidiary distributor and its chairman for participating in an international conspiracy to fix the prices of aftermarket auto lights.

A former executive of a Peruvian airline pleaded guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to fix surcharges on air cargo shipments from the United States to South and Central America following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Ronald James Davenport, of Chewelah, Wash., was convicted Tuesday of filing more than $20 billion in false liens against four federal government officials.

New Jersey-based dietary supplement companies Quality Formulation Laboratories Inc. and American Sports Nutrition Inc., as well as their owner and managers, were sentenced today for multiple counts of criminal contempt of court for violating a consent decree entered by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on March 16, 2010.

Former Indianapolis and Marion County, Ind., City-County Councilman Lincoln Plowman was sentenced today to 40 months in prison, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Hogsett of the Southern District of Indiana.

The owner and the former vice president for corporate strategy of Viable Communications Inc. were each sentenced yesterday to 108 months and 55 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a scheme that defrauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of at least $20 million.

Former White Mountain Apache Tribal police officer, Glenn Cromwell, 35, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Phoenix to two counts of violating civil rights while acting under color of law for detaining, transporting, and then abandoning two adult males in extreme weather conditions on different occurrences in December 2008.

Today, the Departments of Justice and Education released two new guidance documents ¨C one for school districts and one for colleges and universities ¨C detailing the flexibility that the Supreme Court has provided to educational institutions to promote diversity and, in the case of elementary and secondary schools, reduce racial isolation among students within the confines of the law.

A Mobile, Ala., real estate investor has agreed to plead guilty today for his role in a conspiracy to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in southern Alabama.

Antonio C. Martinez Jr., 40, a former Chicago police officer, pleaded guilty today to racketeering conspiracy and related charges, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana.

Following a comprehensive investigation, the Justice Department today announced its findings that the state of Florida’s oversight system failed to detect and sufficiently address harmful practices at both the Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys and the Jackson Juvenile Offender Center.

Joaquin Tasis was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for his role in a $9.1 million Detroit-area Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).